Abuse It and Lose It: 5 Ways You Can Lose Your Driver’s License in Utah

April 15, 2017

Arnold Wadsworth Coggins

For many of us, having a driver’s license is essential for getting to work, shopping for necessities, and travel in general. A suspension interferes with your freedom to get where you need to go, when you need to be there.

In Utah, certain offenses will cause you to lose your license and spend a lot of time and money trying to get it back. Without legal assistance, you may not be able to get it back at all before the suspension period is over. Let’s take a closer look at five of them.

Too Many DMV Points

Like most states, Utah employs a point system and revokes licenses that accumulate too many points. If you collect 200 points within a three-year period (if you’re under 21, the total is 70 points), you can lose your driving privileges for up to a year. Below are some common traffic offenses and the points they can incur:

Negligent collision: 50 points

Running a stop sign or red light: 50 points

Failing to yield right of way: 60 points

Reckless driving: 80 points

Driving Under the Influence (DUI)

If you have been convicted of DUI in Utah, you will be placed on an alcohol restricted driving privilege, or ARD. This means that you cannot legally drive with ANY alcohol in your system for a designated period of time. (For first-time DUIs, it is two years.) If you ignore the ARD mandate, your driver’s license will be revoked for one year.

Chemical Test Refusal

Under Utah’s Implied Consent law, getting your driver’s license means that you automatically consent to a breathalyzer or blood test if the police believe that you are driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. If you refuse, your license can be suspended- how long depends on how many related offenses are on your record. First offenders face an 18-month suspension.

Texting and Driving Conviction

Utah has a tough texting and driving law. At the very least, you receive 80 DMV points on your license. You can also be charged with a misdemeanor, spend up to three months in jail, and pay a $750 fine. If you injure or kill someone, the charge is upper to a felony, subjecting you to a 15-year prison sentence and a $10,000 fine.

Driving without adequate insurance

According to Section 303 of the Utah Insurance Code, all registered motor vehicles must maintain liability coverage. When you drive without insurance or allow your insurance to simply lapse, it is a Class C misdemeanor punishable by fines and suspension of your license.

If you have lost your Utah driver’s license or are at imminent risk of doing so, contact Arnold, Wadsworth & Coggins today. We understand the difficulties associated with not having a driver’s license and will utilize our experience and resources to get your license restored.

Arnold, Wadsworth & Coggins Attorneys is a premier Utah law firm serving the Wasatch Front in the areas of family law, bankruptcy, criminal law, and civil litigation. Our attorneys provide clients with exceptional legal representation and personal attention. With over 35 years of trial practice and litigation experience, we bring big firm expertise at affordable rates

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